Railroad-crossing signal



Mar. 3. 1.925. 1528,706 W. H. STORM RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed July 15, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. H. sTo'RM Mar. 1925.

RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed July 15, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE warms H; swosm, or canteens, KENTUCKY.

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Application filed July 15', 1924. Serial No. 726,160.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be itkuown that I,- Waujrnn H. S'Toinn a citizen of the United States, residing at Chambers, in the county of Hancock and I State of Kentucky, hayeinvented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossing" Signals, of which the following is a specification. p g This invention relates to railroad crossing 1 signals, and contemplates a signal adapted to be arranged adjacent the track wa and automatically operated by means carried by the locomotive, so that the signal wih be turned to an active position when the train is an appreciable distance away from but approaching the crossing; and sitbsequently returned to its normalposition by the same mechanism.

In carrying out the invention 1 provide mechanism for operating the signal, which mechanism includes a plurality of reciprocatory rods, lever arranged in the path of trip carried by the locomotive, but which levers are actuated inpairs, one for moving the signal to an active position and the other for returning the signal to its normal position for resetting the first of said levers for another operation. The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompal'iying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts" as claimed. I

In the drawings forming part ofthis as plication, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein:

Figure- 1 is a side elevation showing the signal in its active position and the" arrange: ment' of the various levers under these circumsta'nces. y Figure 2 is atop plan View of Figure 1 but showing the osition of the train: on the track way and" its direction of travel Figure is a longitudinal sectional view" through the signal support and showing the detail" construction or the signal operating mechanism. Z

Figure 4 ea l'OII-gItHdIIIELl sectional VIEW through 0116 Of the lever supports showing" how the lever is pivoted therein tenths-e so eration'" to be hereinafter described.

each being equ1pp'e'd with a V Figure 5 is a View taken at a right angle to Figure 3. v

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6+6 of Figure 4;

Referring to the drawings in detail 10 represents the rails of a track, while as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the signal is adapted to' be arranged centrally of the highway where the latter intersects or crosses the track, so that traffic will be forced to pass at either side of the signal. The signal proper includes a vertically disposed shaft 11 on the top of which is supported a sign 12 having on the opposite sides thereof the word Stop The shaft 11 is journaled in a suitable elongated casing 13 clearly shown in Figures 3 and 5, which casing may be closed both sides to protect the mechanism contained therein from snow rain Water and the like. Secured to the shaft 11 adjacent the lower end thereof is a gear 14:

which meshes with a rack bar 15, the latter being operated a manner to be hereinafter described to turn the shaft and its signal from a normal to an active position and vice versa. Carried by the shaft 11 directly above the gear 14: is a nut 16, three of its sides being recessed or concaved' as at 17 to' singly receive a peripheral portion of a disk 1 8 utilized to hold the signal in either of its positions. This disk 18 is carried by a bracket indicated generally at 19, and which bracket may be of any suitable design,- with the disk arranged in the same horizontal plane with the nut 16' to cooperate withthe latter in the manner for the purpose above stated. The bracket 19 is mounted to slide upon a rod 2O one end of which is secured to the adjacent end of the casing 1 3' whil'e' the other end is fixed to a stationary bracket 21 which is secured in any suitable nianner'to the bottom of said casing as shown in l lig'ure 5. Also dependingfrom the top of this casing is an angular shaped plate 22 which has an open ing to r'eceii e the rod 20, and a portion of which plate is arranged in parallel relation-with one end 23 of tlie'bra'cliet 19. Encircl ingtlre rod 20 is a coil spring 24 which has one end bearingagainst the fixed plate 22 and its other end bearing against the end-23 otthe bracket 19, whereby said spring always maintains the disk 18' in contact withthe nut 16. In other Words, when the shaft 1--1 is rotated are bracket- 19' i's'"-movedin one direction against the tension of the spring 24, but just as soon as the signal occupies its proper position, the spring immediately moves the disk 18 into one of the concavities 17 of the nut 16, thereby holding the signal immovably in either its normal or adjusted position as the case may be.

One end of the rack bar 15 is connected with a radially disposed finger 25 which projects from a hub 26, the latter being fixed to a vertical shaft 27 which is journalcd between the top and bottom walls of the easing 13 as clearly shown in Figure 5. Also radiating from this hub at diametrically opposite points are bifurcated arms 28 and 29 respectively, each arm being provided with a pin or rivet 30 which passes through the bifurcated extremity of said arm. This structure forms a part of the track mechanism for operating the signal, which track mechanism includes a plurality of reciprocatory rods, all of which have their inner extremities slotted as at 31 and overlapped, the rods being arranged in pairs and in end to end relation as shown in Figure 3. The rods of one pair are indicated at 32 and 33 respectively, and have their adjacent slotted extremities overlapped and connected by means of the pin 30 carried by the bifurcated end of the arm 29. The rods of the other pair are indicated at 34 and 35 respectively and have their adjacent slotted extremities similarly connected with the bifurcated extremity of the arm 28 above referred to. The rods 32 and 33 are used to operate the signal when the train is moving over the track way in one direction, while the rods 34 and 35 are used to actuate the signal when the train is backing, or moving in an opposite direction over the track way, and by actuating said signal is meant, the moving of the signal from its normal to an active position as the train approaches the crossing and subsequently returning the signal to its normal position at a predetermined interval. The outer end of each rod includes a springpressed slid able section 36, which is pivoted to a lever support 37 substantially U-shaped in cross section, the latter being pivoted upon a suitable bracket 38 secured to one of the railroad ties indicated at Pivoted in each lever support is a lever 40 which is normally held parallel with its support by means of a spring 41 interposed between the support and one end of the lever as clearly shown in Figure 4. Now, upon inspection of Figures 1 and 2 it will be noted that the lever supports for the rods 32 and 33 have their open sides facing in one direction, while the lever supports of the rods 34 and 35 have their open sides facing the other direction for the purpose to be presently set forth.

In practice the stop sign 12 is normally arranged parallel with the highway, or in other words at a right angle to the track, in which position the levers 40 of the rods 32 and 33 extend in the same direction, but in the direction indicated by the position occupied in Figure 1 by the lover of the rod 33, while the levers of the rods 34 and 35 extend in the same direction as shown in Figure 1. When the train is moving in the direction illustrated in Figure 2, the trip 42 supported on a rod carried by a bracket 43 attached to the locomotive, strikes the lever of the rod 33, thereby moving this lever from its normal position to the position which it occupies in Figure 1. Then this lever is operated, a pull is exerted upon the rod 32, the slotted extremity of which rod engages the pin 30 carried by the radial arm 28 above referred to, thereby rotating the shaft 27 which shifts the rack bar 15 to the position shown in Figure 3, and as the rack bar meshes with the gear 14 carried by the signal shaft 11, the said shaft is rotated to turn the signal 12 to its active position' shown in Figures 1 and 2. The sign can now be readily seen by everyone using the highway, and they are thus informed that a train is approaching the crossing. The trip 42 next contacts the lever 40 associated with the rod 35, but as this rod is not used in connection with the rod 32, coupled with the fact that the U-shaped support of this particular lever opens in the same direction that the train is traveling, the lever is merely depressed, against the tension of its spring 41, without imparting any movement whatever to the rod 35.

Now, when the locomotive passes the crossing, the trip 42 next engages the lever 40 associated with the rod 33, and as the U- shaped support of this particular lever has its open side facing the approaching train, the lever is actuated, thereby exerting a pull upon the rod 33, which reverses the direction of rotation of the shaft 27, as well as the movement of the rack bar 15, which in turn reverses the rotation of the shaft 11 and thereby returns the signal to its normal position. In addition to returning the signal to its normal position, when a pull is exerted upon the rod 33 in the manner just described, a pull is simultaneously exerted upon the rod. 32, and this automatically resets the lever associated with said rod 32 for another operation. After the signal has been returned to its normal position by opcrating the lever carried by the rod 33, the trip 42 next engages the lever 40 associated with the rod 34, but by reason of the arrangement of the U-shaped support 37 this lever is simply depressed against the tension of its spring 41 without effecting any movement of the rod 34. lVhen the train is backing, or if the train is traveling in a direction opposite from that indicated in ell) Figure 2, the first lever to be engaged by the trip 42 is the lever associated by the rod 3& which exerts a pull upon said rod 34 in a manner to turn the signal 12 to its active position. The next lever to be operated for any purpose would be the lever l0 carried by the rod at the opposite side of the crossing, which when actuated, would exert a pull upon the rod 35 to both return the signal to its normal position, and simultaneously reset the lever carried by the rod 34. In other words the rods 32 and 33 work together to first move the signal to an active position, and then return the signal to its normal position when the train is moving in the direction shown in Figure 2, while the mechanism is operated in the same mannor, by the rods 34: and 35 when the train is moving in an opposite direction. It is to be further borne in mind that the signal in addition to being automatic in operation, is also simple in construction, and eliminates the use of springs and other elements which might be easily impaired. Then again the signal is positive in operation, because as each rod is called into use, apull is exerted on the rod rather than a push, and in the same direction of the travel of the train.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

hat I claim is:

1.. A railroad crossing signal comprising a vertical shaft mounted for rotation, a sign 'arried thereby, train actuated means for automatically turning the signal to an active position at a predetermined interval, and subsequently returning the signal to its normal position at a predetermined interval, a nut carried by the lower end of the shaft and having its sides formed with concavities, and a yieldably supported roller normally engaging one side of the nut, and adapted to cooperate with said nut to hold the signal against casual derangement in either of its positions.

2. A railroad crossing signal comprising a vertically disposed shaft mounted for rotation, a sign carried thereby, a gear secured to said shaft, a rack bar meshing with said gear, and train actuated means for controlling the movements of said rack bar to operate said signal as described, said means including a shaft mounted for rotation, a finger radiating from said shaft and connected with one end of the rack bar, and a plurality of reciprocatory rods arranged adjacent the track way for independent movement, all of said rods having their adjacent ends oppositely connected with the second mentioned shaft, pivoted levers connected with the outer ends of said rods, and adapted to be actuated by a train carrying trip.

3. A railroad crossing signal comprising a vertical shaft mounted for rotation, a sign carried thereby, a gear secured to said shaft, a rack bar meshing with said gear, a sec ond shaft mounted for rotation and arranged parallel with the signal shaft, a finger radiating from the second shaft and connected with one end of the rack bar, a plurality of reciprocatory rods arranged in pairs adjacent the track way and at opposite sides of the crossing, arms radiating from the second mentioned shaft, a slot and pin connection between said arms and the adjacent ends of the respective rods, spring pressed levers pivotally connected to the outer ends of said rods and arranged to be successively engaged by a trip member carried by the train, whereby one rod at each side of the crossing is actuated to auto matically turn the signal to an active position, and subsequently return the signal to normal position, irrespective of which direction the train is travelling over the track way. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER n. 's'roR-M. 

